‘pressures On Censor’ (Press, 19 October 1982)
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Summary: ‘pressures On Censor’ (Press, 19 October 1982)
On 19 October 1982, Mr. Highet, the Minister of Internal Affairs, spoke at a meeting of the Society for the Protection of Community Standards regarding the implications of censorship and the potential imposition of greater restrictions on adult content. Mr. Highet expressed his concerns over restricting adults, emphasising the importance of new ideas in maintaining societal freedoms. He revealed that he received few complaints about censorship apart from those from the society and its supporters. The Chief Censor, Mr. Bernie TunhLcliffe, had recently participated in an international conference on film censorship, where discussions focused on violence, particularly sex-linked violence. Historically, the censor faced pressure to ban films for various reasons, including pressure to prohibit Charlie Chaplin films due to their perceived immorality. Mr. Highet stated that distinguishing between distasteful films and those that are harmful to the public good is a challenging task for the censor. Despite substantial research and reports from various government commissions, the evidence regarding film censorship's impact remains inconclusive. Over recent years, the censor has increasingly labelled films, informing audiences about potentially distasteful content. The society had urged Mr. Highet to intervene and prohibit films they deemed unacceptable, citing “Life of Brian” by Monty Python, which, despite being oppositional to a minority of community voices, saw high attendance. Mr. Highet argued that withholding approval for films cannot be justified unless it poses a threat to the public good. He questioned how a popular film could be deemed injurious to the public if it aligns with popular tastes. Mr. Highet further addressed suggestions from the society for allowing public requests to have the Film Censorship Board of Review re-examine films. He cautioned that implementing such a process could lead to administrative chaos, complicating decisions on whether films should continue to be shown. He expressed concern that delaying decisions on films could adversely impact audience turnout.
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